Saturday, July 31, 2010

Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants says this about the contract negotiations between the Rangers and Marc Staal...

"From what I gathered yesterday, the sides are still far apart. This is also not a negotiation that will be playing out in public so, one day, Marc Staal will be signed. As I mentioned in my last blog post, John Tortorella is not looking to have Staal in training camp if the restricted free agent defenseman is not signed but Tortorella is “optimistic” a deal will be reached."

...how far apart can the sides be. I hope Staal doesn't think he's a $5 million a year player. Because he's not. And the Rangers better not be offering the same amount as Girardi as he is worth more. $4.5 million for four years. Lock it up.Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.

Jess Rubestein at The Prospect Park says he doesn't buy what the Rangers are selling regarding giving young guys a chance this year...

"Missing the playoffs could be something to handle if there was a long term goal that was being built upon. But sadly despite the hype, Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan and Evgeny Grachev might have to hope for serious injury or an early exit from playoff contention in order to have a shot at wearing Ranger jerseys for more than a cameo appearance next season."

...i hear what Jess is saying, but a lot of these prospects probably aren't ready for a full time role with the Rangers this season, so getting loads of playing time down in Hartford combined with some "cameo" appearances for the Blueshirts may not be the worst thing.

...i've been on the give the prospects a chance bandwagon all summer, but I think easing them in while fine tuning their game in Hartford is probably the best way to go. Plus lots of contracts are up next year including Dubinsky, Callahan, Boyle, Prospal, Frolov, Gilroy and Emminger meaning there should be plenty of room for increased playing time with an eye on 2012 (when Drury, Avery and Rozy come off the books) for these guys to play a serious role.

...maybe I'm naive but I do think the Rangers have a long term goal for our prospects and I for one am excited for it.

...what do you think? Do the Rangers have a long term goal for their prospects?

Scott Burnside at ESPN.com gives us his winges to watch including newest Ranger Alexander Frolov...

Alexander Frolov, New York RangersA free agent who flew pretty much under the radar before signing a one-year deal worth $3 million with the New York Rangers, Frolov has the potential to score 30 or more goals and likely will play alongside Marian Gaborik. Frolov fell out of favor with Los Angeles coach Terry Murray, and it remains to be seen whether he can work with the demanding John Tortorella on Broadway. If he can, it's a good move for both sides.

...i'm hoping Frolov will be a fun wing to watch for every Ranger fan this season. Really looking forward to what he can bring to the team.

Just wanted to thank everyone for another amazing live chat last night. To me it was the best yet as we got away from the Q&A format of the first two and had more of a discussion. Lots of fun.

I plan on doing these after most games this season so stay tuned.

Also, this is the final reminder that tomorrow is the last day to get your guest blog submissions in. So if you want a chance to win a Glass Bangers t-shirt, e-mail (nyrfan94@yahoo.com) your post to me as soon as possible.

Granted, someone is going to be traded or else demoted to Hartford before then but the core of the team is going to remain intact. And of course you can come up with your own line-up that makes more sense, but the bottom line is I believe this team is going to do better than last year's barring injuries (dare I say). I am anticipating a more balanced scoring attack, a better PP, and more depth. The only downside could be giving up more goals against but hopefully the added offence will compensate for that. Overall I'm looking forward to an exciting season and my hopes are higher than last year.

In a piece on unsigned RFAs, Dan Rosen at NHL.com has this quote from Marc Staal (originally published at tbnewswatch.com) on the negotiation process with the Rangers...

“There hasn’t really been too much going on,” Staal said Tuesday when asked about the situation. “I’m not really (allowed) to talk too much about it. There’s nothing really to report on it other than what’s been written.”

Rosen adds that because Glen Sather has stated that the Rangers would match any offer sheet Staal receives from another club there is no rush to sign the Rangers top defenseman.

...i'm not too concerned. You have to assume the Rangers are just trying to figure out rosterwise what they're going to do (Demote Redden?) to get themselves under the cap after signing Staal based on different contract amounts.

Laurie Carr at Beyond the Blueshirts translates an interview Alexander Frolov had with Sport-Express which includes this quote on why he signed with the Rangers...

"Yes, I communicated with them before signing the contract. It was very important for me to understand in what capacity they would count on me. I heard that on the Rangers I’ll receive a lot of playing time, will regularly be on the ice during the power play. Most likely, I’ll play on a line with the leader of the team, Gaborik. In New York they want me to create a high-powered offensive unit with Gaborik."

...Frolov is definitely a player who feels like he was disrespected by the Kings last season and that the Rangers are an organization that will give him the opportunity to prove his worth to the league.

...it almost seems like he's using the Rangers for his own gain, but if it means a 30+ goal season I could care less.

Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants was able to sit down with John Tortorella to discuss numerous issues...

On Wade Redden...

“I told Wade at the end of the year, during the exit interviews, I felt we gave him, along with a couple of other players, we gave him a great opportunity to play,” Tortorella said. “Really, at times, we probably kept him in too long where we should have put somebody else in because of his play. We had a frank discussion. It’s not going to be, ‘Wade Redden is a veteran guy and has a big contract, he’s going to stay in the lineup.’ We need to move by that. He’s going to dictate that.”

...not sure what to think about this quote on one hand I feel that the Rangers have finally had it with Wade on the other it seems like they're going to give him one last chance to turn it around....i'm thinking if he struggles in camp and preseason he's gone.On Sather's offseason moves...

“I think one of the biggest positives of the summer and during free agency is that we have kept the core of our team,” Tortorella said. “We haven’t gone out and signed big contracts. We’ve tried to sit tight with our youth and keep the building blocks there. We are going through a bit of a process. I think Dan Girardi and Brandon Prust (both who were re-signed this summer) jumped right into being in that core. They were big signings. Everybody rants and raves that it’s time for the Rangers to really stay pat and build with youth. I think the deal Frolov signed, it’s not a long-term deal. He can show us what he can do and maybe it will turn into the same.”

Torts also talks Rozsival, McDonagh, Biron and whole lot more.

...great job by Gross....and great job by the Rangers again giving the fans some insight on what the organization is thinking.Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.

Newyorkrangers.com reports that Alexander Frolov will join Sean Avery during tonight's broadcast of "Knicks Night Live", hosted by MSG's Al Trautwig starting at 8 p.m. The show will be re-broadcast at 10pm.

Frolov and Avery, who were former teammates in LA, will discuss Frolov's joining the team, the adjustment athletes must make when relocating to New York from other cities, and what it's like to play in the nation's biggest local market.

...wow, this is awesome. Can't wait to watch.

...maybe down the road MSG will do a show with Avery and Frolov hitting Fashion Week.

Let me begin by saying I love Chris Drury. Ignoring his cap hit, he is a great role model and seasoned professional who would benefit any team in the league, including the Rangers.

If the Rangers were to win the cup this year, there is no doubt in my mind that Drury would limp to the podium, bleeding from somewhere, with a partially dislocated shoulder and a broken hand to receive the trophy on behalf of his team. It would be a beautiful and inspiring site to see the captain smile through his pain.

This image of a battered leader, reminiscent of Lord Nelson dying at the moment he hears of his victory over Napoleon, is fine for most cities…. But this is New York.

New York does not like to see its leader looking defeated at the moment of victory. New York does not want to simply out last its opponents in order to be victorious; it wants to beat them.

In New York we prefer Napoleon to Nelson. We need Joe Namath, George Steinbrenner and the great Mark Messier to speak about the championship as if it’s already ours. If any other team is drinking champagne from Lord Stanley’s cup in June, it is a direct insult to us, and we need a captain who makes us feel that way.

Currently, the closest thing the Rangers have to that player is the King. No matter how bad things are, Hank makes us feel like we can win, not simply endure.

Lundqvist cannot only contain Ovechkin; he can out play him. That’s what we need in a captain.

Unfortunately, he cannot be our captain, but we can hope that he can inspire young Ryan McDonough or Derek Stepan to take up that role in the years to come.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

"Looking at the Rangers' salary situation, it seems all but inevitable Wade Redden is headed to the minors."

Original Post:Yesterday in the aftermath of the Alexander Frolov signing, I stated that the Rangers didn't necessarily need to send Wade Redden down to Hartford to open up enough cap space to sign Marc Staal at $4.5 million per and get under the salary cap to start the season.

One scenario I mentioned was sending MZA ($1.75 million) and Gilroy ($1.75 million) to Hartford.

However, I received an e-mail today from Aaron Tarnow of Play Petr Prucha (love the name!) stating I was wrong...

"I just wanted to help clarify something about the cap situation, after your post yesterday about signing Frolov. You mentioned that a reader pointed out that we could still sign Staal at $4.5m and keep Redden around, by dumping MZA and Gilroy. The logic was that we still have $1.4m of space, so we only need to free up $3.1 to afford Staal at $4.5. Gilroy at $1.75 + MZA at $1.75 = $3.5, which is enough. However, this doesn't actually work out. We only have that $1.4m free because of the performance bonus cushion - we have $2.2m in performance bonuses. MZA's $1.75m hit is actually $850,000 in bonuses and $900,000 in salary. So, dumping him will only save us $900,000 more - the other $850,000 is already part of the bonus cushion, and doesn't free up any more room under the cap. Dumping MZA and Gilroy saves us $2.65m, which would give us enough room to sign Staal at more like $4m, but not at $4.5."

...so what you're saying is the Rangers WILL have to dump Redden to re-sign Staal and get them under the cap? Glad I was wrong.Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.

"Enter the Blueshirts, who are happy to enter high-risk, high-reward scenarios. No team that isn’t would have committed $7.5 million per season through 2013-14 to Marian Gaborik, a player who sends writers scrambling to find a much stronger word than prone when describing his relationship with injuries.

Frolov is a lighter version of another he-loves-me, he-loves-me-not player the Rangers used to employ, Alex Kovalev. The latter, in his prime, possessed more game-changing ability than Frolov, but they’re still cut from the same maddening cloth.

Another player who fits that mold? Nikolai Zherdev, whom the Rangers employed for one season in 2008-09 before cutting ties with him last summer after he was awarded a one-year, $3.9-million deal in an arbitration hearing."

...both Kovalev (his first stint with the Rangers) and Zherdev were much younger than Frolov and neither of them came to the Rangers with a chip on their shoulders.

...and even if Frolov does end up in Torts' doghouse, they only have to deal with it for a year.

With all the positivity going around the blog after the Frolov signing, I thought this would be a good time for another live chat.

So I've scheduled it for tomorrow, Thursday, July 29th at 10pm.

The first two live chats have been more of a Q&A. This time what I'd like to do is throw out a couple of subjects or questions and just have everyone contribute. Then at the end maybe do some questions.

Newyorkrangers.com reports that the preseason has already begun for Rangers prospects playing in Europe and auditioning for North American national junior teams will start this week.

Forwards Chris Kreider, 2009 first-round pick, and Ryan Bourque, a 2009 third-rounder, will be competing for spots on the 2011 U.S. World Junior Championship roster starting Friday at the USA National Junior Evaluation Camp begins in Lake Placid, N.Y.

While, next Tuesday, fellow Rangers prospect Ethan Werek will begin his quest for a spot on Canada's World Junior roster, when the Canadian National Junior Team Evaluation Camp gets under way in Newfoundland.

...nice to see some actual hockey is starting to take place. Who's excited?

Also check out Dan Blackburn teaching at the Rangers second annual camp for goaltenders here.

...i love that the Rangers have kept Blackburn involved with the organization.

Larry Brooks at the New York Post has this quote from John Tortorella on Marian Gaborik and Alexander Frolov playing on a line together...

"I think Frolov makes us a more formidable team. I like him on the power play. I think we'll certainly take a look at him with Gabby, but nothing is set. I don't want to lock myself into anything in July. I don't want to lock myself into anything in September."

...we touched on this a bit yesterday. I actually would like to see the two split up to spread the offense around. Don't want to rely too much on one line. Although I'd want them both on the top power play unit.

Torts also spoke about spots still being available for kids...

"Plus, nobody should make the mistake of thinking that we're closing off opportunities for the kids," Tortorella said. "They're going to get their chance."

...this is great to hear, but I don't see too much opportunity at forward one maybe two spots tops. On defense obviously if Redden gets demoted there will be a spot open for McDonagh or maybe Sauer.

Raise you hand if you remember this time last year when Torts said "I can't wait to get a hold of Brandon Dubinsky, he doesn't realize he can be a 30+ goal scorer"?

I would have thought Torts would have gotten a hold of him by now, but we'll give Dubi the benefit of a shortened season. We'll just have to watch closely to see if they have that conversation this season.

How many of ya'll remember Tom Renney commenting as follows on Wade Redden's performance? "It is hard to play with one foot on the gas and the brake at the same time".

For what it is worth, there are few coaches with as much class as Renney.

Okay so lets do the numbers. The last three seasons Redden's point totals have been 38 (Ottawa), 26, and 14. So if he continues on that track he should have 2 points this season. Now we all know points don't always tell the whole story (cue photo of Drury) but remember he was signed as a QB for the power play. So now what, well, they say three is a charm, so maybe this is his year.

Was it Sather that said, Colton Orr was asking too much back then. We'll, lets do the math. Is Orr 4 years at $1 mil/year greater than, equal to, or less than Donald Brashear for 2 years at $1.4 mil/year + Derek Boogaard at 4 years, $1.625 mil/year. (we won't count Shelly's cap hit last season).

Well, at the end of the day, it's only money and entertainment. I think Dolan said that.... ;-)

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Original Post:Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants has some quotes from the newest Ranger Alexander Frolov...

On coming to the Rangers...

“I’m really excited. The Rangers are a great organization, a great hockey club with a great history. I’m really excited to be a part of it now. It’s been a long month for me. I think it’s going to be a really good year.”...and we're excited to have you here Alex.

On whether he’s sure last season’s issues are behind him...

“I’m pretty confident. I’ve been in this league for a long time now, it’s like it’s my first or second year. I’ve been here a long time. I think I know what I can do. I think people around the league know what I can do. Last season, I had a couple of issues. I would say when youu play a different role, play on the second or third line, you do have the power play but it’s the second power play. It’s kind of tough to produce 30-plus or 35-plus goals. I don’t know too many players who can do that. In my whole career, when I’ve had a chance, when I’ve had a lot of offensive time and opportunities, I always was producing. I’m pretty confident.”...sounds like someone who had a tough year and is looking to prove to the league he's still got it.Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.

Update, 2:48 p.m.:Arthur Staple at Newsday joins the "it may not be Redden who's sent down to Hartford to open up cap space" bandwagon.

Update, 2:16 p.m.:Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants weighs in on the Frolov signing.

...Gross has a nice way of opening up a roster spot for a young player by having Drury as the fourth line center and Prospal as the third line center leaving the third line wing position available....that could be a nice competition between MZA and Grachev.

...assuming the Rangers sign Staal at $4.5 million per they will need to open up $3.1 million....as reader Brett Crawford points out this cap space doesn't necessarily need to be opened by demoting Redden. Sending MZA ($1.75 million) and Gilroy ($1.75 million) to Hartford would open up enough space.

Update, 1:22 p.m.:Larry Brooks tweets that including the Frolov contract, the Rangers have approximately $6.8M remaining under summer cap. And that they are not in distress regarding signing Staal.

Under the CBA, teams are allowed to be 10% over the salary cap during the offseason. Once training camp begins they must make the appropriate roster moves to get under the cap.

Update, 1:12 p.m.:MSGNetwork's John Giannone tweets that Frolov's first NHL goal was against Mike Richter.

What is wrong with the idea of a couple of losing seasons? Now wait and hear me out before answering.

When you consider the idea of finishing in the eighth spot and securing the playoff position, a first round exit and the subsequent 15-17 draft pick. Compare that to finishing in the bottom five and securing a top rated draft pick - maybe even the first overall pick and you have Gordie Clark doing the evaluations instead of Glen Slather.

Besides the culture shock, the idea of the Rangers actually floundering near the bottom to replenish and become a strong team should be a welcome alternative.

We don't have the GM to play in the free agent market when considering his 10 year track record so why not embrace a plan that gives us the alternative to control cap spending with the influx of new, young, and talented players. This plan already has a proven track record of success if done properly.

What do we have to lose? Our reputation? One cup in 69 years reputation?

Monday, July 26, 2010

Update, 10:22 p.m.:Andrew Gross at Ranger Rants says the deal will probably be less than the $2.9 million Frolov earned last season.Update, 10:15 p.m.:...as pointed out in the comments section, the deal is probably going to be worth more than $800,000. But as Frolov's agent says in the below interview, the market was down for Frolov so maybe the Rangers did get a great deal. Although if it's a $3 million deal no way they can afford to keep Redden on the roster after re-signing Staal. Killing two birds with one stone....i've been on the "give the young guys a chance" bandwagon the entire offseason, but if the Rangers have the opportunity to bring in a potential 30-goal scorer on the cheap, I think they have no choice but to do it....i would still like to see Torts and Sather find a way to get some of the prospects into the line-up at different points during the season.

Original Post:According to TSN, Russian newspaper SovSports is reporting that Alexander Frolov is on the verge of signing with the New York Rangers; however they have learned that while the two-sides are in discussion, no deal has been finalized.

Arthur Staple of Newsday tweets that the deal won't be finalized tonight and could wrap up tomorrow.

Dmitry Chesnokov at Puck Daddy has this quote from Frolov's agent Sergei Isakov...

"Alexander Frolov will soon put his signature on a contract with the New York Rangers. He made a decision that he will play one more year in the NHL," he said. "And then it will be clearer where he will continue his career."

Isakov adds that the contract will be similar to Maxim Afinogenov's one-year $800.000 deal he signed with Atlanta last year.

...geez I take a few hours off to hang with my family and all hell brakes loose.

...if Sather is able to get Frolov for one-year $800,000 that could be the steal of the off-season. I would have thought you were out of your mind if you said the Ranger would be able to sign Marc Staal and a potential 30-goal scorer for $5 million per combined.

ESPN did a vendor inspection report for every stadium of the four major sports and had this to say about MSG...

Madison Square Garden

New York Knicks, New York Rangers

Vendors with critical violations: 61%Inspection report excerpt: At one stand, inspectors found "53 mouse excreta" (38 on top of a metal box underneath the cash registers in the front food-prep/service area and 15 on top of a carbonated-beverage dispensing unit).

...that's a pretty awesome squad minus Kreider who is back at BC. Surprised to see no Chad Johnson in goal....we've been hyping these guys pretty good this offseason, so I've got to ask would anything other than a Traverse City Tourney championship be a disappointment to you? Leave your answer in the comments section. Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.

John Kreiser at NHL.com takes a look at which players are going to be under pressure to perform this season and lists Marian Gaborik...

Marian Gaborik, New York Rangers -- Here's a scary thought for Rangers fans: Gaborik had 42 goals, stayed healthy enough to play 76 games -- and the team still missed the playoffs. With no new offensive savior on the horizon and no one else on the roster who scored more than 20 goals, Gaborik will have to do at least as well (and stay at least as healthy) in his second season in the Big Apple as he did in his first for the Rangers to get back into the playoffs.

...despite all the rumors this summer about the Rangers interest in players such as Richards, Frolov, etc. I still don't see Sather bringing anyone in, meaning Gaborik will be relied on heavily to carry the offensive load once again.

...i said this yesterday, guys like Dubinsky, Callahan, Anisimov and Drury are really going to have to step it to alleviate some of this pressure off of Gaborik. It's just not fair that he will be counted on night in and night out.

Laurie Carr at Beyond the Blueshirts tweets this quote from Alexander Frolov's agent Sergei Isakov which was published at Sportsdaily.ru...

"The #NYR have also showed great interest in Frolov. It's quite possible that Sasha will continue his career in NY."

Frolov had 19g, 32a last season for the Kings. Before last year he had scored over 30 goals two of three previous years ('06-'07 & '08-'09).

...i have read in a few places that Frolov is looking for $5 million per, which the Rangers cannot afford unless as with every other move we've discussed this offseason Sather sends Redden down to Hartford.

There are so many amazing cities through out the US and Canada that are home to NHL teams.

A great way for us Ranger fans to travel is to follow our boys, bringing NYC attitude to cities across the continent. It’s a strange but extremely fun feeling rooting for the enemy in an unfamiliar setting. The game is always fun, but exploring the city before and after can be just as rewarding. So far I’ve seen the Rangers at 4 road arenas. Don’t get me wrong, the Garden is still the best place to catch the Blueshirts in action. If you’re looking to travel this season, here are 6 dates to mark on your calendar:

I’ll start off with 3 arenas I have been to.

Saturday 10/09/10 @BuffaloThe 2010-11 season opener takes place at HSBC arena in Buffalo, NY. After spending my 4 year college life in Buffalo I have been to my share of games here. HSBC is a fairly new arena, but remains unpretentious. The Sabres price their games on a sliding scale based on opponent, with the Rangers usually falling under the Gold category. Gold games make the upper level pricey, with a center ice ticket costing around $75. No matter where you sit, expect to hear it from the fans. But hey, that’s part of the fun isn’t it? The weather in this infamously frigid town is usually pleasantly mild in early October. If you want wings do yourself a favor and avoid the famed Anchor Bar. While it’s true they invented the wing, nearby Duffs has mastered it.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Arthur Staple at Newsday has a piece on Chris Dury and the Rangers needing more consistancy this season...

"Dru and I really got to know one another, and I love the guy," Tortorella told Newsday. "I think we really bounced him around last year, because the guy will do whatever is asked of him, whatever we need him to do. I want to be able to put him in a more consistent role."

...to me the perfect role for Drury would be the third line center position. Not too much pressure for him to score allowing him to relax and play his game. I'd like to see a rookie (Grachev?) on his line maybe to get him going.Torts on the younger players...

"The kids were starting to get it, I think," Tortorella said. "[Michael] Del Zotto, Cally [Ryan Callahan] - they had some bumps, and Cally got hurt, but they were getting there. Dubi [Brandon Dubinsky] made terrific strides, but he's got a long way to go."

...the kids are going to be depended on this season to make giant steps forward if this team wants any kind of success. I'm looking at you Dubinsky, Callahan, Anisimov and Staal.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

"As the summer of 1970 came to a close, and the season loomed, Emile offered about $20,000 to Park. Park wanted $45,000. According to Park’s agent, Emile told him, “I’m offering a 50 percent raise!” to which the agent replied, “Fifty percent of nothing is still nothing.”

Well, guess what. The night before the season opened, Park went to Francis’ home in Long Beach, L.I., and signed a contract for about $30,000."

...see Ranger fans it usually all works out in the end. One way or another Staal will be signed before the season starts. Even if he has to drive to Sather's house.

Jess Rubenstein over at The Prospect Park takes a look at the goaltending stituation throughout the Rangers organization.

After obviously stating the Rangers will only go as far as Henrik Lundqvist will take them, Rubenstein expresses his unhappyness with the signing of Marty Biron...

"If the idea was to lighten Henrik's workload then why sign a guy who is coming off a really poor season for the New York Islanders of all teams? If the goal is to have a backup goalie who in a pinch can also step in as a every day starter then you are praying that Biron has found a way to regain the form he had as a Flyer."

...got to disagree with Jess here. I think Biron is a great pickup. Sure he struggled with the Islanders, but that was because he didn't know his role over there. He started the season alternating with Roloson then found himself in the press box when DiPietro came back. Now that he has a defined role and is back with his mentor Benoit Allaire I expect Biron to be a solid addition to the Rangers.

Rubenstein also says that Chad Johnson has to watch his back in Hartford as Cam Talbot may pass him by if he doesn't continue to work hard.

...i've gotten away from doing this feature on the blog recently and I hope to do it on a more consistent basis as the writers of these blogs do an amazing job. And they are doing it for nothing other than their love for the Blueshirts and most of the time without much fanfare as they don't have the luxury of being part of a blog network or affiliated with a television network or newspaper.Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.

The days are warm and the beer is cold. The birds are singing and kids are playing. Local ponds are filled with swimmers. Baseball fills the airwaves and the back pages. Not a hockey puck to be found.

God, I hate summer.

Even though the NHL is credited (or not, depending on your view) with having the longest season of all professional sports, it still seems like an eternity ago when the Blackhawks hoisted the cup and sent the Flyers crawling back into their hole.

Summer is the time when Sid the Kid gets shipped back to Canada so mom can wipe the snot from his nose. Summer is the time when Alexander Ovechkin fulfills his duty to God and Mother Russia by showing kids that it’s not so bad to be taken away from your family, shipped to Siberia and forced to play hockey for 20 hours out of each day. Summer is also the time when Dan Carcillo gets locked back in his cage for a few months.

This is the time of year when the rinks have melted, the sticks have been put away and the MRI machines at New York City hospitals are no longer experiencing a Blueshirt-induced backlog. This sucks.

In part two of Jim Cerny's interview with Glen Sather at newyorkrangers.com the Blueshirts GM talks the future...

On the developing prospects...

“Our goal has always been to try and develop our own players to build a core group of players that are going to grow up together,” said team President and General Manager Glen Sather. “It takes time to develop players, and it takes time for them to develop into National Hockey League players. But there are some kids that are really starting to come in the right direction now.”

...when Sather says it has always been their goal, I'm assuming he means starting this offseason.

On the current group of prospects...

“I don’t want to paint a picture where I am being a little too enthusiastic, but we have a good group of kids coming along,” said Sather. “There were a lot of players that really looked good in our (prospect development) camp.”

...i'm with you Glen, I'm pumped for this group of prospects.

Sather also says it won't be easy for Stepan to make the team out of camp, that Grachev has a legitimate chance of maiking the club and that Pasnin (who I posted about earlier today) reminds him of Kasparaitis.

...once again, really loving Sather's take on the Rangers prospects and his thoughts on their chances to make an impact this year. Great job Glen. Did I just type that?

...for those of you who have been following the blog since the beginning you'll remember I used to post Eklund-type rumors all the time. However, I stopped because a) I felt it hurt the credibility of the blog b) most of the readers begged me to not post them and c) HE MAKES ALL OF IT UP.

...i held off on posting this for as long as I could but too many of you were e-mailing me and I could only imagine how many more are freaking out about it. Gaborik isn't going anywhere so relax and go back to worrying about how the Rangers are going to open up cap space to bring in someone to compliment their only scoring threat.